How to Deal with Different Bosses

Considering the numerous types of organizations there are globally – profit vs non-profit, healthcare, education, sales – it is only natural to come across various kinds of bosses and managers.

Helicopter Manager

PERSONALITY: This person could also be considered a micro-manager, but they are a control freak. Unfortunately, this leader is not going to help develop autonomy in their subordinates. You might find them hovering over you or asking to be cc’d on every email.

HOW TO DEAL: This manager might seem terrifying to work for at first, but this is where you can switch the control. Make a scheduled weekly meeting with your manager to discuss your tasks. This is a good time to dive into the issues, ask for their advice and fill them in. They might be less likely to follow your every move throughout the week.

Hands-Off Manager

PERSONALITY: In comparison to the Helicopter Manager, Hands-off Managers are going to remove themselves from your day-to-day and stick to their own workload. Although this might sound appealing to independent workers, it can be challenging to have a manager who is disconnected from your work.

HOW TO DEAL: It’s important to ask how involved they are in your training and professional development. Very similarly to the approach on dealing with a helicopter manager, it will be crucial to set aside weekly conversations to dive deeper into your work.

The Visionary

PERSONALITY: This is the leader who sees the big picture, has grandiose ideas, and plays out future situations in his or her head constantly. The vision of an organization is always important for strategy purposes and growth potential; however, this manager might lose sense of the day-to-day operations.

HOW TO DEAL: You must be capable of seeing the vision but give pushback on the logistics and work through the stepping-stones of getting there.

The Buzzword Boss

PERSONALITY: This is very similar to the visionary, except they have ever-changing direction and ideas. Take for example, the open-floor concept. When Google started changing their work floor plans to be more of an open space, that term became a huge buzzword. This leader is going to chase these buzzwords to make the organization fit this successful mold, and it might be exhausting to keep up with.

HOW TO DEAL: Slow your Buzzword Boss down to focusing on just one initiative per quarter. When culture or layout or coffee selections are always changing to bring in the best thing, the roots of an organization can go out the window. Help them take baby steps to innovative ideas.

Metrics-Driven Boss

PERSONALITY: Completely opposite of the visionary, this leader is very focused on the day-to-day operations and metrics driving the success of an organization. No matter the organization, this person is looking at numbers, percentages, ratios, etc.

HOW TO DEAL: As an associate working for a metrics-driven manager, you must always have data ready. Even if it is not in your nature to micro-manage your daily activity, it’s important to understand this information is vital to your manager. Start tracking, create Excel documents, or tally your activity – whichever fits your style!

The Friend

PERSONALITY: This one is the toughest to deal with. Employees especially want managers they can trust, and when you think of people you trust in your personal life, it is friends and family. However, for people who do not like mixing professional with personal life, there is no right answer.

HOW TO DEAL: The best way to approach the Friend Boss is to set initial boundaries. A good recommendation would be to ease into the outside work activities, hold off on following back on Instagram, and keep your personal life experiences on surface level. Essentially, make sure you trust them at a professional level first, and then consider friendship.

About The Author

Caitlin White is a recruiter at The DAVIS Cos., a firm in Marlborough, Mass. She is a graduate of Assumption College in Worcester, Mass. and Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn. She and her fiancé live in Worcester and spend time with their rescue dog, friends, and family on the weekends. She coaches women’s lacrosse at Assumption College.